I will preface this review by saying that Sing Street was one of my favourite movies of 2016. But since this is Album of the Week and not The Weekly Scene, I will focus on the music. While the soundtrack includes hits from Duran Duran, The Cure, and other ’80s icons, the stand out tracks are those written for the film and performed by the young, yet-to-be-known actors.
The film, set in 1985 Ireland, is centered on “new kid” Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) and his desire to form a band—despite limited musical capabilities—in order to impress a girl he just met.
As Conor and his band of misfits try to find their sound and image, their music takes the listener from the highly derivative synth-pop fiasco “The Riddle of the Model,” to the raw, angsty, and anthemic “Brown Shoes.”
Director John Carney’s (Once, Begin Again) ability to collaborate with different songwriters to illustrate Conor’s hopeful coming-of-age story demonstrates his healthy obsession with the creative process.
Photo courtesy.